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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24284320">The Corrupted Ones</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/somefandomtrash/pseuds/somefandomtrash'>somefandomtrash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Corrupted Ones AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bendy and the Ink Machine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse of Authority, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Behavior Conditioning, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Guy Bendy (Bendy and the Ink Machine), Joey &amp; Bendy fight, Joey Drew being a Jerk, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Swearing, Warnings May Change, and a stable father figure in his life, bendy just needs a hug.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:42:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,190</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24284320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/somefandomtrash/pseuds/somefandomtrash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Henry is summoned back to Joey Drew Studios by a letter from an old pal, he expects a regular reunion.</p><p>Instead, he gets caught in the middle of a long-running war for control over the studio; and he's the key to ending it.</p><p>One side is run by Joey Drew, a deceitful, selfish, egocentric man whose goal is to be remembered as a god.<br/>The other side is run by a cartoon demon, who's not very happy about being abandoned by Henry and left in the hands of Joey alongside his fellow toons.</p><p>Can Henry survive the consequences of past choices, or will he succumb to the ink and become one of the corrupted ones?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Corrupted Ones AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753072</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Corrupted Ones</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Lost. Lost as hell, in hell.</em>
</p><p>Henry stumbled, his feet catching on the upturned planks of the old floor; most of which had been broken inwards by something that was <em>clearly </em>much larger than a human. He pushed himself forwards; burying the feeling of dread that had consumed him into the pit of his stomach. The layers of claw marks, some new and some old, on the nearly desecrated walls that lined the hallway told Henry that this something was still quite alive.</p><p>And he was running right towards it.</p><p>.....</p><p>At least, he <em>thought</em> he was?</p><p>It was nearly impossible to tell where he was going at this point. The walls had begun to blend together a while back, and now the twists and turns of adjacent corridors seemed to simply be mirrors of the one Henry was already in. A maze of pale blue walls, illuminated by the faint orange glow that flickered from the light overhead. To someone unversed in the ins and outs of the studio, it was disorienting. Then again, the blonde hadn’t much time to study his surroundings considering he was being chased- no,<em> hunted</em>, by those freaks with the masks. His body still ached from earlier, and all this running made it worse.</p><p>The animator ran past a few more hallways before he finally stopped, unable to continue any longer. The animator leaned his aching body against the wall, gulping down swallows of air like a fish out of water. Tired, hungry, sore. He didn’t know how much longer he could last like this. How much longer <em>could</em> he last like this? How much longer would he have to? A day? A week? The thought made him slouch with forlorn hope.</p><p>Henry had to escape, to be safe and sound away from all this pain. <em> Desperately. </em>But that was the one thing he couldn’t be, not while he was being chased like pray.</p><p>“It goes on forever, doesn’t it?” Henry’s voice echoed in the empty corridor. He sighed after a few seconds of silence as if expecting an answer from… who was he asking anyways? Himself? The shadows? His pursuers? Who knows. As if to answer his question, echoes of the creaking floorboards under the weight of people jolted the animator to attention.</p><p>“Shit-“ He muttered, brushing stray strands of blonde hair out of his face. Rising to his feet, the animator began to sprint. Where to? He had no clue. He just had to away from those men.</p><p>"I never should've opened that letter."</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The letter in question had arrived with the rest of the mail early Monday morning.</p><p>At first Henry didn't think much of it, he assumed it was just another piece of spam mail. But then he saw the sender.</p><p><em>Joey Drew</em>.</p><p>God, that was a name he hadn't heard in years. Not that he really wanted to have anything to do with <strong>him</strong>. Their last encounter had been anything but pleasant. His handwriting was still as neat as ever, which was somewhat weird for a man who was almost constantly losing his temper and shaking with anger. (When he was behind closed doors that is). Henry could still see the calm, confident, and exaggerated smile that was constantly present on Joey's face as he interacted with the media or guests to the studio. He always hated that smile.</p><p>Still, he shoved past grudges to the back of his mind as he opened the envelope. The letter inside was written in the same neat handwriting, which at points seemed too neat, like there was another person behind the writing of the letter, despite it almost certainly being all Drew's handiwork.</p><p>Henry cast this suspicion aside as he began to read;</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>Dear Henry,</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>    Old friend, it has been too long since we last spoke.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>     I know that you and I weren't on the best of terms, and I want to fix my mistakes.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>    This is something I should've done years ago, but I was too stubborn to do so.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>    I let my pride and my ego cloud my judgement, and I drove you away. </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>    It is something I regret even to this day, old friend. I only pray you let me amend it.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>    Come back to the studio. There's something I wish to return to you.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>    I do believe you will like what awaits within.</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>          Sincerely, your best pal,</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>                                           Joey Drew</em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>Henry wasn't sure whether to rip the letter in half or spare the paper from his internal turmoil.</p><p>"He's lying," Henry mused aloud to himself, rising from his chair rather abruptly as he began to pace. "It's Joey-fucking-Drew for christ's sake! He's never regretted a single decision in his goddamn life!"</p><p>The blond let his hand with the letter hover over the trashcan, ready to toss it and be done with the whole matter, but he froze, eyes lingering over the last lines.</p><p>"<em>There's something I wish to return to you.</em>"</p><p>He can't possibly mean-</p><p>"<em>I do believe you will like what awaits within.</em>"</p><p>Bendy?</p><p>Henry stepped back from the trashcan the second the name crossed his mind.</p><p>If Joey was serious about this... if this wasn't one of his bold-faced lies, wasn't a trick- then it could be Henry's last shot at taking back what was rightfully his. The reason behind Joey's rise to glory. Henry's most famous creation, not that the world knew it was his thanks to Joey taking all of the credit, whose creation had marked the beginning of Henry's animation career.</p><p>He stared at the letter in silent contemplation, the thought of having the 'little devil darling' returned to him eating away at his prior anger.</p><p>"..... I can't believe I'm going to do this."</p>
<hr/><p>"-I'm not saying that there's not a single chance of this working, I just fear that the odds may be to a.. <em>less than favorable</em> outcome, and that we should devise an alternative-!"</p><p>"Are you suggesting we doubt our <em>lord's</em> word?"</p><p>"O-Of course not! I'm merely saying that it's too unpredictable of a result to bet all or nothing on!"</p><p>"Then why do you question his plan?!"</p><p>"I am no-!"</p><p>     "It will work."</p><p>The bicker between the two creatures ceased immediately at his interruption.</p><p>"But my lord, you can't possibly kn-"</p><p>      "It. will. <em>work</em>."</p><p>He growled slightly at the persistent doubt coming from the creature's mouth. It shifted to speak again, and he audibly snarled, leaning forward to glare at it.</p><p>"I have sat through enough of their arguments to know with certainty that everything will work out as planned. Now. <strong><em>Leave me</em></strong>."</p><p>The two creatures bowed and left the demon alone. He huffed, gloved fingers digging into the cushion of the chair in frustration.</p><p>"Relax bud." Soothed the blonde perched at his side on the chair's arm. She tinkered away with a mask idly, jade eyes glancing down at the toon beside her.</p><p>"I know, I know," He sighed, tail flicking about with his frustration. "Gotta keep a clear mind. After all,"</p><p>A dark grin grew across his face as he leaned back into the chair.</p><p>"We're gonna have<em> one <strong>hell</strong> of a reunion</em> with our dear, <em>dear</em> creator <strong><em>Henry</em></strong>."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first full fanfiction ive written for bendy and the ink machine!<br/>i hope its okay-</p></blockquote></div></div>
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